ACACIA BIFLORA. 
(Two-flowered Acacia.) 
Class. 
POLYGAMIA. 
Order. 
MONCECIA. 
Natural Order. 
LEGUMINOSiE. 
Generic Character.— Calyx four or five-toothed. 
Petals four or five, sometimes free, and sometimes 
joined together into afour or five-cleft corolla. Stamens 
variable in number from ten to two hundred in each 
flower. Legume continuous, dry, two-valved. — Don's 
Gard. and Botany. 
Specific Character. —Plant an evergreen shrub. 
Leaves small, sessile, alternate, unequal, knife-shaped, 
sharp-pointed. Flowers axillary, solitary or in pairs, 
globose, deep yellow. 
By a reference to the botanical catalogues, it appears that the present species 
of Acacia was brought to this country in 1803. It has, however, been nearly or 
quite lost since that time, and was again raised, about two years back, from one 
of the many importations made by Mr. Low, of Clapton, from New Holland. It 
flowered at the Clapton Nursery in February and March 1841, and our artist 
made the accompanying drawing of it at that period. We believe no published 
figure of it previously existed. 
Along with most of its allies, it is a valuable and interesting greenhouse plant, 
on account of its blooming so early in the season. Its habit is neat and tolerably 
compact, and it grows to the height of from eighteen inches to three feet. The 
leaves are of a peculiar form, one side of them being nearly wanting, and the other 
taking a wide curve at its margin, so as to resemble, in outline, the upper edge or 
back of a common sickle. They are small and sessile, having the flowers in their 
axils. The blossoms appear in pairs, or singly, and besides existing in the axils of the 
leaves, form a kind of loose spike at the extremity of the shoots. They are capitate, 
or in round heads, of a moderate size, and having a deep yellow or orange tint, 
with a very pleasant fragrance. 
In cultivation, it ranks with that part of the genus which, not being of rampant 
growth, do not need such large pots, nor to be so frequently shifted. Some of the 
Acacias are remarkable for the abundance of their roots, and the rapidity of their 
extension ; but these are also very strong-growing kinds, and generally attain the 
size of trees. The plant under notice belongs to the class of comparatively feeble 
